“So he has my name, already?”
“Of course he has and it will be legitimate too, because I would like to put your name on his paperwork as his father, it’s blank at the moment.”
“Thank you. I really am nervous now, shit I do multi-million dollar deals that don’t get me as pumped as this.”
“Come on the landing lights on. It’s only four in the morning so we have plenty of time. It’s an hour’s drive and I dare say Dad’s sent the cars.” We took our seats as I snuggled into Chris. I played with the rings on my fingers and smiled
“What’s the matter, is it too much Bella?”
“Yes but thank you, there’s a lot of love in these rings, and I love them, where’s my emerald?” He looked puzzled.
“You still have it Bella.”
“Nope, I sent it back with the driver with instructions to leave it in your room. Rachel must have it, it is the only explanation.” He nodded, as Mel noticed the glowing rock on my finger.
“Um Grandma’s diamond, you lucky woman.”
“Oh, should Mel not have had it, Chris?”
“Why would I have Chris’s Grandma’s diamond, she wasn’t my grandma, she just had me called her grandma. She was his mum’s mum, and was a beautiful fair-haired Swedish woman, I’m surprised Chris isn’t darker than he is given that his grandfather was a Mexican guy, but then again, we always said he was the delivery guy’s kid. He looked like neither his mum who was dark like you, and so pretty too. We have all Gran’s pictures for you to look at, of Chris’s Mum, and as our dad is dark, haired too, it bugged the shit outta Dad that Chris was so fair. Poor Chris has used every lab we know and still he’s related to Hoyt Holland, your dad Hugh looks nothing like him either apart from hair colour, that sad man is going bonkers, have you told the ole bastard about your son yet?”
“No, I haven’t, and until I have seen my son, I don’t want him to know either, he’s kinda mad at me already.”
“Well the hotels are still Humphries Hotels, or will they change names when Ethan becomes Holland?”
“I was thinking about that what about rebranding them H&H Hotels, seeing as Ethan already has both our names? Dad will be pissed I will be changing my name, so it’s an added bonus.”
“You’re going to be Holland Humphries too?” I was shocked as I said it and pleased when he said we’d all have the same name.
“Yes, we will all have the same surname Bella.”
“I’m glad I have my mum’s name, but I love being Melissa Yeller, they shout out look out Yellers yelling, when I’m in court, and I didn’t wish to change it either, and unless I do I get nothing from the old man when he turns his toes up, like I want that mad bastards money? He should have been there to register me, seven of us and only one other carries his name besides Chris, that’s good ole Roger. Wow his mum was one evil woman, she came after my mum, and really thought she’d nailed god ole Daddy good and proper. Having the second son, we girls don’t add up to a-hil-a-beans, as far as he was concerned, but wow, she was in for a shock, her ass went flying just as quickly as my mums, and everyone else’s too. We were allowed in the mansion, but none of us other than Chris lived with him full time, and even when we did stop, it was in Chris’s wing with him and his Nanny and valet. Yeah put your face straight you had a manservant dress you until you were ten.”
“Do you want me to leave you here in Spain? Shut up Bella, has heard more about my life from you than she has off of me.”
“Shush, I like listening, your dad seems to have been hit badly by your mums death and guilty at all his bed hoping before and as you were being born, and perhaps he’s just a guilty man who couldn’t accept the truth, that he was the one to blame for her death, not you? Who knows? Sorry though, I don’t want Ethan around him, if he makes you feel so shity he’s not doing that to Ethan. That I leave to you to deal with, but he has never heard a crossword in over two years and I don’t want him too either.”
“Really you don’t have fit to busting showdowns?”
“Nope, but my bitch of a sister is going down though, when she gets here. Dad has called her over because of her keeping your notes and my ring and then claiming you’d slept with her. He too is livid that he misjudged you Chris, and all this stopped you seeing Ethan.”
“Ethan, is gonna be one spoilt boy sorry Bella but he is. A family is all my big brother has ever wanted, he has me and his niece.”
“What is there no husband?”
“God no, sperm donor I haven’t got time for the love crap, I went through a catalogue six years ago, I had to use the eggs soon or they would have been destroyed, so I had my little girl implanted earlier this year, too soon really after the crash, but hell I wasn’t for throwing them away. I chose my babies daddy, he has brown eyes, dark hair is a lawyer, like me, he is of Mediterranean heritage, so I guess that means Italian, Spanish or such like, and well he was a looker alright and reminded me of someone I used to know.”
“What you got to choose him from an actual photograph?” I’m astounded, and Chris just laughs.
“Yep, as I said it was like a Sears Model Catalogue too, well I’d go for Sports Illustrated, if I was honest. He likes soccer, and beach volleyball and what’s the one in water? Polo, yeah water polo, he is not a lover of horses though, he does ride if he has to, and plays a mean round of golf, so my baby girl is predestined to me a sportswoman lawyer, like me.” I looked at Mel in amazement I wasn’t sure I’d have gone that route, not without a little love involved. As I look at Chris, I would never have had Ethan without falling for the gorgeous man in the sharp tux, and killer blue eyes, who asked me to dance. She knew more about her baby’s daddy, than I did about Chris.
“I know I asked her not to, but truth be told I was looking for a surrogate to have kids in five or ten years to have my children, if I hadn’t found you and what do you know you come with added extras.” He laughed as he hugged me
“No, I wasn’t being funny, but she knew more about her child’s father than I did, so don’t judge her for having sex with a mail order Dad.” He laughed. “Glad you found that funny Mr Holland, we are only just talking now I don’t know what sports you like? I know you ride and that I’m better…”
“Oh no sister, hey I have a normal sister. There is no hanky-panky it’s all done in labs Bella.”
“Really you would have done that had children, with no mum?”
“I never had a mum, I missed her of course but I did alright, but I have always wanted to be a proper father so yeah, I gave myself ten years to find you, don’t forget that I’m older than you Bells and my clocks got more miles on it than yours.” I laughed as we hit the runway.
“Welcome to España, and can I just say you two are hilarious and so obviously related, you’re so alike in your mannerisms, if nothing else, seeing as your blond and Mel’s dark. I had a canned history of the life you two have had, no wonder you wanted normal, so you can see why I want normal for Ethan?” Mel smiles, as she looks at Chris and I huddled together.
“Totally, if I had time to fall in love I would, but I didn’t and I wasn’t getting any younger Bella and the embryos needed using. Wow, its warm here, and its early morning too we need more summer clothes baby girl, or Mommy is gonna roast in these and I need to pee again.”
“I have loads that are nice and loose, I wore them baggier than I needed to, to hide him away and there’s a few Dior and Chanel amongst them, yes I was a clotheshorse even when pregnant, my dress bill is huge.”
“Don’t worry I have a spare couple of billion, as my hotel deal went belly up. My wife can have as much Chanel and Dior as she wants.”
“Oh you say the nicest things.” I headed out of the door to a welcoming committee.
“Oh, Lou-Lou you’re here.” I ran straight into my big brothers arms.
“Hello Bella, let me breathe please, so you found Ethan’s Daddy then? You really do need to try harder next time to remember where you put things down.”
“He
llo, Lois pleased to meet you again.”
“Come here you mutt, I should be kicking your ass around the bloody airport knocking my baby sister up, but I kinda like my nephew, so cheers. Welcome, come on then cars are here.”
“We have to wait for Chris’s sister. She got caught short and can’t do an hour in the car.” He looked a little pleased to hear she was here, what the hell, was he smiling?
“Well let’s get the bags in the car then, Dad is so excited to get you back Bella.”
“Right big brother, I have emptied the bladder and I… How... What the hell… You… What are you doing here, here in the back of beyond?”
“I beg your pardon? I don’t think we have ever met before, in fact I know we haven’t. Which of your sisters is this Chris? I have only ever met Melissa.”
“Oh hell no, you have met me before, I am Melissa. I’m fatter yes and six years older, and I had to have a little bit of facial surgery due to an accident, but your ID number is 10021980 LPH is it not? Shit, no wonder I liked the look of the donors action pictures, fuck me my babies daddy is Luis Humphries, no shitting me?”
“What does all that stand for?” Luis looked at Mel with a completely blank expression.
“I will give you a clue did you donate some of your swimmers and put them in a catalogue?” The expression changed and wow did it change.
“It was something I did when I was at Harvard doing a lecture, and it was Jamie’s stag weekend, a woman came up and asked did we want to earn some money, we were good looking and just what her clients would be looking for, she bought us a few drinks and encouraged us to donate? Shit as part of the bloody stag do challenge thing, we had to do something our parents wouldn’t approve of and she said they wouldn’t approve of this, and it would pay well. I wanted to show my ass out of a bus window like they do in the movies, but no Jamie he wanted to donate for a bigger pot of cash for the drinks we had yet to buy, boy were we wasted after that night and the extra booze, that we got, yes a few of us did it for a challenge. Fuck me, yes, I did donate some of my swimmers. Hell I’m screwed, why did you pick me Mel? Mum is going to kill me, really kill me. Oh hell she is gonna cut my balls off.” He screwed up his nose and sobbed. I hardly doubt Mum would do anything preventing her from getting more grandchildren!
“I picked you from the action photos they showed me, you know in your glory as a sportsman? It listed your likes and your job, it said your family was of mixed heritage and the pictures where what made up my mind.”
“I must have been naked then?”
“Luis this is serious, you are the father of that baby, and this is so messed up.” I shouted at Luis who was gawking at Mel’s swollen belly and sort of smiling in a gawky way.
“Well say hello to one of your swimmers Luis, all those precautions we took before could have saved me twenty grand. This Chris, is Nina’s Daddy.” Mel introduced a very shocked sperm donor to Chris.
“What the fuck? It seems you knocked up my sister, should I bounce you around the airfield too? You two have had sex before, of course you have what am I thinking about you and he are well matched, man magnate and the chick magnate.” I would laugh but this was no joke, she’d gone from anonymous donor to meeting him in the flesh.
“No shit that’s my baby in there, for real and this isn’t a joke? Fuck, Dads gonna kill me, there was only enough for two lots in the donation they swore there was, have I got kids all over America? Hells teeth, I may need some of those tadpoles, because Mum is gonna have my balls for this, I won’t have any swimmers left, help me Bella?”
“I bought the other donation too, so that my children would have the same father. I’ve used some and there were others ready to go. The first lot produced three viable embryos, and they were already frozen and ready to use, when I had the accident. So with the clock ticking, both mine and the storage facility, I had them all put in six months ago and hoped for the best, and she is the best and the only one from the three to take. So when she took, I had the rest of your unused donation disposed of and yes I watched and made sure.” My brothers face was a picture, he slumped in the driver’s seat.
“What are the fucking odds of that? Six years ago, I jerked off in a cup and now stood before me in Spain with my new brother-in-law I’m looking at his sister’s belly with my baby in her? Bella help me he will kill me. Why did you not shoot me in the balls with that paint gun harder Mel? You told them we’d done it before too, you should have said you wanted my kids I could have given you the donation free gratis! Shit I said that aloud, didn’t I?” I laughed. Perhaps the reason for picking the donor was because she was still in love, and with Luis.
“It’s a coincidence alright, too much of a coincidence. Who did you go with Mel, to do the choosing and the impregnating procedure with?” Chris asked his sister, this was too weird to be true, but it was, and it had happened, poor Luis, poor dumb Luis.
“Lorna, she works at the agency, and she sort of knows my type, but there was no names just the code numbers and pictures and no offence. I haven’t seen you since you did a runner from the hotel after we did it the last time, you remember when you said you loved me? You ran away after hearing the L-word, whilst I was at work. I wish I’d shot your baby maker harder with the paint ball! Why did you run, were you frightened I was gonna say I loved you too Luis, that wasn’t going to happen, just to make it clear you were a booty call and nothing more. Sorry to break it to you, you and I don’t do the commitment thing. Photos lie too, because you’re not as good looking in the flesh, now I have seen you again and I’m sober.”
“Whose Lorna?” I asked them.
“Our sister...” Both Chris and Mel shouted at the same time.
“She did this on purpose why? God if only I wasn’t drunk that afternoon? Wait I didn’t take any pictures, they asked for details not photographs.” Poor Luis!
“The clinic you used was it in Providence?” Mel asked, as she apparently loves a little mystery, and my brother from the way they are staring at each other.
“Yes and the girl was kind of pretty and very persuasive, the other lads were well up for it and it was an all for one challenge. So I did what I could for the brothers, Gheeze, I’m glad I was off my game that day, but hell it was six years ago, how the hell did she know I would say yes and you would need that sort of help and would even go to that clinic? That is too much to be a coincidence, it’s a set up, but why?”
“Lorna, she was the one who talked me into it six years ago, saying she’d found the perfect place to get the sperm from and as she worked there she could get me the pick of the newest little guys in, from the best looking donors. She phoned me to tell me a new donor had come, and he was my ideal man. She was so wrong paff, like you’re really my ideal man. So I bought the swimmers. I’d had a hard time what with the accident and all that, so I delayed implanting them, until they phoned and asked was I aware there was a seven year cut off in the clinic for storage. I did it six months ago and the rest were flushed as I said. So what’s her game? This has a smell of Roger and Catherine about it Chris, I feel violated and used. I trusted her.”
“Would she do that to you?” I ask.
“No, Lorna and me were, I thought, finally like proper sisters, you know we discussed everything when she came to stop with me in Canada for a while. I told her about the wanting to start a family, but couldn’t be bothered with a man in my life because the last one was an ass. Him, who was and is you Luis by the way. I discussed us a lot with her, she listened and I thought she understood me and where I was coming from. She asked had I considered a sperm donor and after I talked to you Chris, I decided why the hell not. So when out of the blue she rang and she jogged my memory, about finding the right swimmers and I decided to go for it.”
“I was the ass you were seeing six years ago, then you said you wanted casual Mel, I wanted more with you, hence the I love you mistake I made, I had to get back to work, I didn’t disappear I called you and told you where I was going. We could have talk
ed but no Yeller had to do what she did best and it was you who ran away. I meant what I said.”
“I ran you idiot, because I did like you, but you were a bloody clown who needed to grow up first, your ideal night out was drinking games and bar crawls and romance for you was saying please before we had sex.” I oh-ed and Chris and I watched as they shouted at each other.
“Guys, can we keep the shouting down, she’s pregnant, I’m tired and now wondering are we being watched? We weren’t as tight with the changeovers as we normally are, we need to get this sorted, Bedford can you drive around a little and make sure we’re not being followed?”
“Yes Ma’am, but I don’t think you were there are no flights due in until nine today and the place is dead.” I ummed something was off and I needed to get to the bottom of this. Chris hugged me.
“Bella stop worrying, we only decided after I read Ethan his bedtime story to come here, and I diverted Mel to Vegas from Cancun mid-flight. All the planes go through private security, so no one knows where my planes are, but my personal security. This was just a chance meeting, they didn’t know we would be coming to see a son I didn’t even know I had, or that my sister would come with us and that Luis would be here after all he works in Paris mainly, yes Luis?”
“Yes Paris and here in Madrid, why would they do this?” Where was Chris going with this, was it just a coincidence or had they been set up. I watched Luis smile a little when he glanced at Mel’s swollen belly. This was way above weird, it was straight out of the Twilight Zone. Chris was trying to come up with reasons and things they both had in common, that Hoyt would want.
“I haven’t a clue apart as to the sane reason, but hotels are the common denominator, Mel’s father is the owner of the hotel chain, Meller Yeller, the very cool hippy boutique chain of sixties themed hotels, and very good they are too. Mel. Your father owns the Humphries Hotel chain Luis. Please tell me he’s not that deluded to have Roger, Catherine and Lorna working together to make one massive chain of hotels?” Chris is struggling with this, he knows the lengths he will go to, to get what he wants, but this? No this is way beyond insane!
Soul Mates. The Beginning. Page 35